AKA’s former and current managers feuding

2017-10-31 12:47

Qhama Dayile

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PHOTO: akaworldwide.Instagram

Rapper AKA’s former
manager, Raphael Benza of Vth Season, released a statement this morning
claiming the rapper’s current manager, Prince Nyembe of Beam
Group, verbally insulted him during an email conversation.

Raphael claims he officially submitted a complaint with the South
African Human Rights Commission (HRC) against Prince after he received “hateful,
injurious and xenophobic comments” made by Prince on email.

Read the full press release below:

As of Monday 30 October 2017, Mr Raphael Benza of Vth
Season officially submitted a complaint with the Human Rights Commission (HRC)
against Mr Prince Nyembe of Beam Group, a company which manages the business of
an artist formerly managed by Vth Season, Kiernan Forbes (popularly known as
AKA).

The submitted complaint is with regards to hateful,
injurious and xenophobic comments made by Nyembe on email to Benza on several
occasions during recent communication between Vth Season and Forbes regarding
monies owed by Forbes to Vth Season.

In the course of these communications, and on 24
October 2017, Nyembe sent an email to Benza which read:

On 27 October 2017, Nyembe repeated his comments about
Benza not belonging in South Africa when he stated the following in an email:

“I can’t believe I’m still getting emails from you. I
thought you had left SA and gone back home by now!”

Forbes was copied on both of these emails.
Regrettably, Forbes never distanced himself from the hateful, injurious and
xenophobic comments made by Nyembe – instead allowing his partner to engage in
xenophobic attacks against Benza.

Benza’s submitted complaint to the HRC is in isolation
of the dispute involving monies owed by Forbes to the Vth Season. Benza is
making a stand as a proud African that there should be no room or acceptance
for xenophobia anywhere in the world yet alone on the African continent.

Over the past 16 years Benza has played a pivotal role
in the South African entertainment landscape from concert promotions to
entertainment venue ownership, to brand marketing, events and artist &
talent management. Benza has also played an instrumental role in paving the way
and opening doors for South African artists to tap into opportunities across
the African continent through paid gigs, radio & TV airplay, as well as
artist collaborations, all of which Forbes has previously benefitted
from.

“As a proud African of Liberian decent I take a
stand for all Africans that in 2017 we cannot sit back and let people like Mr
Prince Nyembe demonstrate xenophobic attacks in any form without
recourse. An insult to me because of my heritage is an insult to all
Africans,” expresses Raphael Benza.

Vth Season stands behind Benza’s decision to
submit a complaint to the HRC against Nyembe and will continue to stand by him
through what is now a legal case.

“As a South African
I was shocked by this hate speech directed at my business partner, Benza. I
myself have done work in over 10 African countries and as a company encouraging
all its talent and clients to work continentally, we have never experienced
xenophobia. As a South African I will stand up against xenophobia,” shares
Ninel Musson, director at Vth Season.